Vehicle-top



A. H. HUGHES AND H. S. CURREN- VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED IUNEZO 1919.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

A. H. HUGHES AND H. S. CURREN- VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1919.

Patented Nov.

NVENTORS. 44, d BY F @ATTORNEYS.

A. H. HUGHES AND H. s. CURREN.

VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED IUNEZO. I919. 1 60,407, Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

, 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE.

ALLEN I-I. HUGHES AND HAROLD S. CURREN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK,ASSIGNORS TO HUGHES & CURREN 'IION.

COMPANY, INC.,

OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, CORPORA- VEHICLE-TOP.

Application filed June 20,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALLEN -I-I. HUGHES and HAROLD S. GURREN, citizensof the United States, and residents of Rochester in the county of Monroeand State of ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Vehicle-Tops, of which the following is a specification.v

The present invention relates to vehicle tops and an object of theinvention is'to provide a simple and inexpensive means for effectivelysecuring thebows of the top n folded or expanded conditions. Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a ve-' hicle top in which one ofthe bows acts as a brace between the pivot pieces and the anchoringposts. Still another object of the invention is to provide aconstructlon in which one of the outer bows is immovable and arranged atan angle to the vertical, while the other bows are pivotally mounted soas to swing toward the immovable or stationary bow for the purpose ofholding the top at the rear whenthe latter is in a folded condition. Astill further object of the 1nvention is to provide a securing'means fora vehicle top which will permit the top to be effectively mounted upontheseat of a traotor or an agricultural implement.

, To these and other ends the invention consists of certain parts andcombinations of parts, all of which will behereinafter described, thenovel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side view of a vehicle top embodying thepresent invention and attached to a seat of the typeused in tractors andagricultural implements;

Fig. 2 is a side view showing the top in folded condition;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of one of the bows of the top;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view with parts in section showing the connectionsbetween the plates at the ends of thebows and the anchoring post, thedotted lines showing the bow plates swung to folded positlon;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6- 6, Fig. 4, showing aportion of the latches which hold the bows in folded and expandedcondition;

1919. Serial No. 305,611.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the manner 1n which theanchoring posts are secured to the securing means;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view show- I ing the manner in which theU shaped securing member is attached to the seat supporting arm of thevehicle;

'Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9, Fig. 8; Fig. 10 shows in foldedcondition another embodiment of the. invention, the dotted linesillustrating the top in expanded posi-,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 30, 1920,

choring posts 2, the anchoring posts in this instance being secured tothe pivot plates by rivets 3. Mounted on the pivot plates are the-bows4, 5 and 6 preferably three in number, covered with a covering 13 andmade of wood throughout the greater portion of their lengths with bowplates 7, 8 and 9 respectively at their free ends. One of these bowplates is preferably rigidly secured to the pivot plate while the othersare pivotally connected to the pivot plates. In the em bodi'ment showninFigs. 1 to 9 inclusive, the

bow plate 7 is rigidly secured at 10 to the pivot plate 1 near one endof said pivot plate anddepends below the pivot plate,

being secured at 11 to'the adjacent post 2, thus acting to brace theconnection between the post 2 and the pivot plate 1. At the same timethis bow plate 7 is inclined to the vertical so that the'rigid bow ofthe top is inclined to the vertical,.being preferably arranged at therear of the top. The bow plates 8 and 9 are pivoted respectively at 3and 12 to the pivot plates 1. By this arrangement the pivot plates maybe swung to the full line positions shown. in Fig. 1 in which they lieat different angles to the bow plates 7 of the bow at, or the bow plates8 and 9 may be swung in parallelism with the bow plate 7 in whichcondition the For the purpose of holding the top in expanded and also infolded positions, a plate v is secured at 14 to the bow plate 8 abovethe pivot of said plate 8 and this locking plate 15 provides two'springarms extending from opposite sides of the bow plate 8. Each of thesearms is preferably provided with two projections or tongues 16 struck upfrom the metal of the plate 15 in such positions that when the top isexpanded, those tongues 16 which are nearer the free ends of said springarms will engage with the hand screw 19 carried by the tubular memberacts to secure the posts in the socket in the manner illustrated in Fig.7. The U shaped member 18 is secured to the seat bar2-O of a tractor oragricultural implement by clamping means comprising preferably twoannular clamping plates 21 perforated to fit about the bar 18 and havingtheir other portions extending toward each other and engaging over theseat bar 20 as the member 18 rests under said bar. The plates 21 arepreferably adjustably connected by two screws 22, locking nuts 23 beingprovided on the end of said screws. U shaped clips 21 also surround thetubular member 18 and at the same time pass through openings in theclamping plates 21. The ends of these clips 21 carry nuts 25 adapted tobear against the clamping plates 21 for the purpose of drawing saidplates simultaneously into engagement with the seat bar 20 thuseffectively clamping the top as a whole to the seat bar.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 10 and 11., the bow 5is rigidly secured to the pivot plates 1 while the bows s1 and 6 arepivotally mounted at 10 and 12' respectively on the pivot plates 1 Inthis embodiment, the posts are formed by extending the plates 8 of thebow 5 below the pivotplates 1 as at 2 and braces are obtained byriveting plates 2 to the exten sion 2 and extending such plates upwardlyand securing them at 2 to the bow 5 The plates 15 are secured to the bowplates 8 of the central bow and extend in opposite directions with theprojections 16 for engagement with the bow plates 7 and 9 to hold thevehicle top in folded or expanded condition, all of which will be clearby reference to Figs. 10 and 11.

In both embodiments of the invention, the vehicle top has a plurality ofbows preferably three in number, in which one of the bows is rigidlyconnected to pivot plates. while the other bows are pivotally mounted onsaid pivot plates and swung into parallelism with the rigid bow for. thepurpose of folding the top. The central bow carried oppositely extendingspring arms adapted to engage with the two outside bows for the purposeof holding the top in folded or expanded condition. In one embodiment ofthe invention the rigid bow for one of the outside bows lies at an angleto the anchoring or attaching post.

In both embodiments, the fastening means for holding the top in foldedand expanded condition is automatic and therefore all straps, set screwsor nuts and folding braces are dispensed with.

hat we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A vehicle top comprising a pair of pivot pieces, three bows, one ofwhich is rigidly connected to the pivot pieces and the others of whichare pivotally connected to the pivot pieces, and spring arms secured toand extending in opposite directions from the'central bow to cooperatewith the other two bows for the purpose of locking the top in its foldedor in its expanded conseparate from the pivot pieces and depend ingcentrally from said pivot pieces, a bow rigidly connected to the twopivot pieces at one side of the longitudinal axes of the posts, lying atan angle to said anchoring posts, and being extended beyond the pivotpieces and connected to such posts below the pivot pieces, and otherbows pivoted to the pivot pieces one of which is in line with theanchoring posts and the other of which is on the opposite side of theanchoring posts.

1. A vehicle top comprising a pair of pivot pieces, three bows, one ofwhich is rigidly connected to the pivot pieces, and the other two ofwhich arepivotally connected to the pivot pieces, and plates secured tothe central bow and extending from opposite sides thereof to provide0ppositely extending spring arms, said arms being provided withprojections adapted to coepera'te with the other two bows for thepurpose of holding thetop in a folded or in an expanded condition.

5. In combination with a seat supporting bar, a vehicle top havingdepending attaching posts, a U-shaped member extend- IOU ing under theseat supporting bar and having socketed ends projecting upwardly andreceiving said posts, and adjustable clamping means for securing saidU-shaped member to the bar.

6, In combination with a seat supporting bar, a vehicle top havingdepending attaching posts, supporting means for said top comprising aU-shaped member to which said posts are secured extending under the bar,and angled clamping plates adjust-V able toward and from each other onsaid U- shaped member to engage opposite edges of the bar.

"7. In combination with a seat supporting bar, a vehicle top, supportingmeans for said top comprising a U shaped member,

:ztending under the bar and projecting upwardly on opposite sides of thebar two clamps movable on said U shaped member to engage opposite edgesof the bar and a screw connecting said clamps.

8. In combination with a seat supporting bar, a Vehicle top, supportingmeans for said top comprising a U shaped member extending under the barand projecting upwardly on opposite sides thereof, angled clamps movableon said U shaped member, and U shaped clips passed about the U shapedmember and through said angled clamps.

9. In combination with a vehicle vtop, supporting means for said topcomprising a U shaped member, two angled clamps adjustable on said Ushaped member, screws 1 connecting said clamps, and two U shaped clipseach passing about the U shaped member and through the an led clamps.

I ALLEii H. HUGHES.

HAROLD S. CUR-BEN.

